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Microwave cell lysis method using ionic additivesRelated Patent Categories: Chemistry: Molecular Biology And Microbiology, Micro-organism, Tissue Cell Culture Or Enzyme Using Process To Synthesize A Desired Chemical Compound Or CompositionMicrowave cell lysis method using ionic additives description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060141556, Microwave cell lysis method using ionic additives. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-0113689, filed on Dec. 28, 2004, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a cell lysis method using microwaves, and more particularly, to a cell lysis method using heat by radiation of microwaves, in which ionic additives are used to obtain higher efficiency and reduce time and costs. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Cell lysis is a process of releasing materials in a cell by disrupting a cell membrane and is generally performed to isolate DNA or RNA before amplification through a reaction such as a polymerase chain reaction (PCR). [0006] Cell lysis is conventionally performed using a mechanical, chemical, thermal, electrical, ultrasonic or microwave method. [0007] A chemical method includes the use of detergents, solvents or enzymes. Detergents disrupt a lipid double layer to release cell contents and lyse membrane protein. Detergents are most generally used to lyse animal cells and most denature protein. However, a reagent for cell lysis should be separately added, and hence a subsequent removing process is required, PCR inhibition occurs, and thus, the process takes a long time. [0008] When using a thermal method, cell lysis can be performed by thermally contacting cells with a high temperature object, such as a hot plate. Such a thermal method usually requires a long time, and causes evaporation of moisture in a sample, thereby drying the sample. In addition, this method causes denaturation of protein, thus inhibiting the PCR. [0009] Cell lysis can also be performed using ultrasonic treatment. This method includes placing a cell solution or suspension in a chamber located in an ultrasonic bath and performing ultrasonic treatment. However, such an ultrasonic disruption has many disadvantages in cell lysis. First, a nonuniform ultrasonic energy distribution causes inconsistent results. Second, the ultrasonic bath does not focus energy on the chamber and thus more time is required to complete cell disruption. [0010] When using microwave radiation, cells are heated using microwaves to lyse the cells. Heating by means of microwaves can be performed more rapidly and efficiently performed than a conventional heating method, can be easily controlled by a switch, and does not result in excessive evaporation of a sample since the treatment time is short. [0011] As described above, the cell lysis by microwave radiation meets the requirement that extraction of nucleic acids be rapidly and simply performed for rapid diagnosis. However, explosion in a container containing a sample may occur as a result of an increase in vapor pressure, and when the amount of the sample as little as it is equal to the wavelength of a microwave having a frequency of, for example, 2.45 GHz, cell lysis time increases, and is not efficient. In addition, when the amount of the sample is little, it is easily dried and adheres to a container wall, which often makes the use of the extracted nucleic acids in a subsequent step difficult. [0012] There have been many attempts to solve these problems. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,623,945, the wavelength of the microwaves used was reduced by increasing the frequency of the microwaves to 20 GHz or greater so as to increase cell lysis efficiency even for small samples. However, since expensive microwave equipment must be used to increase the frequency, this method cannot be applied without the new equipment, and thus, practical utilization is difficult. [0013] Thus, the inventors performed intensive research in order to overcome the above problems and discovered a cell lysis method which can be applied to small samples even when using conventional microwave equipment rather than expensive microwave equipment, has not danger of explosion since vapor pressure does not increase, rapidly achieves cell lysis due to a rapid increase in a sample temperature, and does not inhibit a subsequent PCR process. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0014] The present invention provides a cell lysis method in which an increase in vapor pressure can be prevented when microwaves are radiated onto a sample and the temperature of the sample can be increased rapidly and efficiently even at a low frequency by adding appropriate ionic additives to the sample when lysing cells with microwaves and extracting nucleic acids. [0015] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cell lysis method including: preparing a sample containing cells to be lysed; adding an ionic additive to the sample; and lysing cells in the sample by radiating microwaves onto the sample in which the ionic additive is added using a common microwave oven for a sufficient time to allow cell lysis to occur to a desired extent. [0016] In the method, the ionic additive may be a zwitterionic compound. The zwitterionic compound may be any compound including positive charge and negative charge in an equal amount and examples thereof includes CHAPS (3[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-propanesulfonic acid), CAPS (3-(cyclohexylamino)-1-propanesulfonic acid), CAPSO (3-[cyclohexylamino]-2-hydroxy-1-propanesulfonic acid) or CHES (2(cyclohexylamino)ethanesulfonic acid). In the method, the ionic additive may be an ionic liquid. The ionic liquid is any ionic liquid known in the art and may be selected from compounds known as ionic liquids by Merck. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0017] The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which: [0018] FIG. 1 illustrates the results of detecting a sample treated with microwaves after the addition of CHAPS and samples treated with microwaves without an additive; and [0019] FIG. 2 illustrates the results of detecting samples treated with microwaves after the addition of various zwitterionic compounds. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0020] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail. Continue reading about Microwave cell lysis method using ionic additives... Full patent description for Microwave cell lysis method using ionic additives Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Microwave cell lysis method using ionic additives patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Microwave cell lysis method using ionic additives or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Control of biocatalysis reactions Next Patent Application: Bioproduction of astaxanthin using mutant carotenoid ketolase and carotenoid hydroxylase genes Industry Class: Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Microwave cell lysis method using ionic additives patent info. 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